Madhya Pradesh Basmati Rice GI Tag Demand Will Not Go in Vain

By Megha Bajaj

On Thursday, Former Chief Minister and Congress MP Digvijaya Singh flagged the issue of basmati rice in the Rajya Sabha. He stated that while Madhya Pradesh produces better quality grains, the state does not have the Gl tag. Singh alleged that traders from multiple states purchased basmati rice from here and earned profits by using the Gl tag approved for their state. He demanded that Madhya Pradesh be approved a Gl tag for basmati rice.

He shared the video of the Rajya Sabha proceedings on his social media accounts. Speaking in the upper house, Digvijaya Singh said, "Every year, Madhya Pradesh produces more than four lakh metric tons of basmati rice. The basmati rice produced here is of better quality than that of other states. However, since the state got no Gl tag, traders from Punjab and several states acquired basmati rice from Madhya Pradesh and earned profits using the Gl tag of their states."

We got the Gl tag approved for basmati of MP, but in 2016, that was cancelled - Digvijay Singh

Furthermore, Digvijaya Singh claimed that Farmers of Madhya Pradesh are thereby losing their rights and cannot get the prob benefit of the rice grown by them. In 2013, we got the Gl tag approved for basmati of Madhya Pradesh, but in 2016, that was cancelled.

Old letter stating a request for a GI Tag

In addition, we came across an old letter conveying the request for the GI Tag for Basmati rice for Madhya Pradesh, dated December 1, 2025.  Former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh wrote to the Prime Minister regarding the denial of the GI tag to Madhya Pradesh Basmati rice, expressing deep concern over the discrimination against the state's farmers.

In his letter, Digvijay Singh mentioned that the state produces more than 4 lakh metric tons of Basmati rice annually, and production is continuously increasing. Madhya Pradesh Basmati rice is of high quality and is exported extensively to foreign countries, but due to the lack of a GI tag, the state's farmers are not receiving a fair price for their produce. Not only this, but he also pointed out that traders from other states, including Punjab and Haryana, are exporting Basmati rice produced in Madhya Pradesh by using their own GI tags. It indicates that the direct benefit of the hard work of Madhya Pradesh farmers is going to other states, which is an unfair and anti-farmer situation.

Madhya Pradesh govt. Applied for the GI tag for Basmati rice since 2008.

The former Chief Minister stated that the Madhya Pradesh government has been continuously applying for the GI tag for Basmati rice since 2008. In 2013, during Dr. Manmohan Singh's government, the GI tag was granted to Madhya Pradesh Basmati rice, but in 2016, during Modi government's tenure, APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) revoked this GI tag, even though Madhya Pradesh Basmati rice is in no way inferior to that of Punjab and Haryana in terms of quality, and is even better on several parameters. He said that this decision was against the interests of the farmers, and the clear reason for it has not yet been revealed. Digvijay Singh stated that 21 GI tags were granted in Uttar Pradesh in a single day, and the state currently has a total of 77 GI tags. He questioned, “Are Basmati rice farmers in Madhya Pradesh being denied GI tags because of the active lobbying efforts of traders and producers from Punjab and Haryana? Are the hard work and rights of Madhya Pradesh farmers less important?” He also remarked that it is surprising and concerning that, despite the Union Agriculture Minister being from Madhya Pradesh and having served as Chief Minister of the state for many years, the farmers of the state are still not receiving justice.

Singh urged the PM to expedite the process of granting GI tags to Basmati rice

He further urged the Prime Minister to expedite the process of granting GI tags to Basmati rice produced in Madhya Pradesh, remove the obstacles that are depriving farmers of their rightful entitlements, and prioritise this issue to protect the interests of the farmers. He said that receiving the GI tag would not only benefit the farmers economically but would also significantly increase India's Basmati rice exports. Singh said that Basmati rice from Madhya Pradesh is of high quality and can establish its own identity in the world market. The central government must understand that denying the GI tag is a grave injustice to our farmers. Hence, he requested the Honourable Prime Minister to intervene in this matter immediately and ensure that the farmers receive their due rights.